


To Be A Mother

by Rookblonkorules



Series: To Be A Family [2]
Category: Shazam! (2019)
Genre: Angst, Billy is kind of an idiot, Found Family, Freddy is a drama queen, Gen, Guilt, Heart-to-Heart, Rosa and Victor are good parents, Rosa is a mom, Tears, eavesdropping kids, implied nightmares, like check on her kids, post-reveal, she does mom things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2020-02-10 03:23:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18651883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rookblonkorules/pseuds/Rookblonkorules
Summary: To be a mother meant a lot of things to Rosa.Never once did she think it would mean mothering a superhero.But that isn’t about to stop her from trying.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For GreenPhoenix3 who wanted Victor and Rosa discussing the superhero stuff.

“I don’t understand it, Victor.” Rosa stirs a spoonful of sugar into her mug of tea. She clasps the mug in both hands, leaning back against the counter, and taking a small sip. “How does something like this just… happen? How does a fourteen year old boy just find himself with… superpowers?”

The word almost sticks to her tongue in its reluctance to leave her mouth.

It feels all wrong.

Billy… superpowers.

Victor is sitting on the couch. His own mug rests on the coffee table, untouched for the moment. He runs a hand through his hair with a weary sigh. His shoulders sag. 

“I don’t think he does,” he says, not without some humor. “I think some… wizard in a subway… decides to give them to him.”

And that’s the kicker. 

A wizard. In a subway. 

Apparently after the bullies targeting Freddy decided to go after him.

When did things like this start happening?

“Victor, this is serious!”

“I know it’s serious, Rosa! I just…”  He rubs a hand over his face, pinching his nose. “This isn’t in the realm of anything we signed up for when we started taking the kids in.”

“I know,” Rosa says quietly. “What if we’re doing it wrong? What if he needs us and he… he doesn’t come to us?”

“We just need to give him time, Rosa.” Victor stands, wincing when his spine pops as he does so. “We both know what it’s like. He’s been kicked around. It’ll take time before he’ll feel comfortable enough to open up. We just need to make sure we’re there for him when he’s ready.”

Rosa nods, still unsure.

Victor takes her elbow gently, guiding her towards the stairs. “Come on,” he says. “It’s getting late. Why don’t we head up to bed?”

Rosa doesn’t move, hands dropping to her sides. She inhales sharply.

“Rosa?” Victor asks quickly, concerned.

“That… man on the news,” she breathes. Her hand presses against her mouth. “The one who… They all said… that new superhero. Victor, Billy was  _ there.” _

Victor tenses and when he speaks again, his voice is strained. “Come on,” he urges her again. “We’ll talk to him in the morning. I promise.”

“Alright,” Rosa agrees reluctantly. They’ll wait until tomorrow. She has to remind herself that they’re not going to converge on him. They aren’t going to scare him. 

Before they can head up the stairs, she pauses, a light hand on Victor’s shoulder. “Victor,” she says, “when… when he stopped that man, he… he called me…” she almost can’t believe it, “he called me ‘mom.’”

 

…….

 

“What are you doing?” 

Billy hovers over Freddy, confused and maybe just a little amused.

“Shhh! Keep your voice down!” Freddy hisses furiously. This is exactly what he needs- Billy blowing his cover.

He whips around with a finger on his lip. “Do you want them to hear you?”

Billy’s brows scrunch in confusion, but he takes a seat next to Freddy regardless.

“Victor and Rosa?” Freddy is at least grateful that he lowers his voice accordingly. “Are you…?”

“They’re talking,” Freddy answers. “I can’t actually hear much, but I think it might be about you. Or at least Captain Sparklefingers,” he ignores the face Billy makes at the name, “but since… you’re pretty much the same person…”

Something flits across Billy’s face. Freddy thinks it might be fear.

“Hey!” He immediately shifts so that his full attention is on Billy. “Look, whatever it is you’re thinking, Victor and Rosa aren’t going to… throw you out. I mean… if anything, they probably think it’s super cool.”

Billy looks a little unconvinced and Freddy gives him a very frustrated glare.

“You saved her life, man. Did you really think they would kick you out after that?”

Billy is silent.

“Oh my gosh, you did think that, didn’t you?”

Billy flushes red. “No,” he retorts. “I just didn’t…”

“Didn’t what?” Freddy prompts when Billy doesn’t immediately finish his sentence. “Billy?”

Before Billy can answer, though, he’s scrambling to his feet, eyes blown wide with panic.

“Shoot, they’re coming this way!”

Alarm electrifies Billy’s nerves, sending him shooting to his feet.

The last thing he wants is for Victor and Rosa to catch him eavesdropping at the top of the stairs. Even if he wasn’t technically eavesdropping because he couldn’t  _ hear  _ anything and even if he was technically only out of bed because he came to see what Freddy was up to.

His crutch catches on the top step and he stumbles forward with a clatter.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he mutters, “Shit.”

A second later. Rosa’s voice calls, “Who’s there?”

Grimacing, Freddy answers, “Just me. I tripped finding the bathroom.”

“Oh my gosh! Are you alright?”

Freddy’s eyes flicker to Billy. “Run for it,” he mouths.

And then he drops to the floor for real.

Billy runs. 

The carpeting muffles his footsteps and he can slip into the room he shares with Freddy quietly.

He hears Rosa’s voice as he climbs the ladder to his bunk, followed by Victor’s. Freddy’s. 

It’s all too quiet for him to hear, but he isn’t trying to listen anyways.

Billy crawls under the covers, yanking them up to his chin. 

It’s maybe five minutes later when the door cracks open and Freddy finally reappears. Billy doesn’t move. If either Rosa or Victor is going to follow soon after, he’d rather they think him asleep than have to deal with the confusing mix of emotions that inevitably will come if he interacts with them.

Heart pounding against his ribcage, he stares up at the ceiling. 

He’d referred to Rosa as his  _ mom _ and, perhaps most shockingly, he’d meant it.

The stark fear of seeing Rosa with a gun pointed at her head- the only woman who acted like a mother figure in his life, the only woman who had ever  _ wanted  _ to be a mother to him in his life- he’d been so terrified, so  _ angry _ that someone had tried to hurt Rosa, and it had just… slipped out.

(He remembers Marilyn and her confession and it only brings a fresh bout of pain to his heart.)

And… and he  _ knew. _

That’s what she was to him. 

Except admitting it to himself is terrifying in and of itself. 

He hadn’t wanted someone to replace Marilyn. He’d wanted  _ Marilyn. _

His mom.

Only… only it turns out that  _ she  _ doesn’t want  _ him _ .

And it hurts. 

He still cries about it. Sometimes. When he’s sure no one can hear him, he lets himself deal with that bit of hurt. 

He’s used to going it alone after all. No biggie.

So… is that all Rosa is? A replacement mom? Someone to fill the void now that he knows Marilyn doesn’t want him?

But… she hadn’t said a word about that slip of tongue. Hadn’t acknowledged it.

Had he… said it wrong? Maybe she didn’t want… wasn’t ready for it.

His heart rate picks up. His palms feel sweaty, mouth dry, and he suddenly feels very, very wide awake.

His first chance at a home, a  _ real  _ home, and what if he’s blown it by speaking too soon?

What was he  _ thinking?  _ Dumping Captain Sparklefingers on her and then, “oh, hey, by the way, you’re kind of my mom now?”

“Billy?” Freddy sounds groggy, like he’s only half awake and slipping back to sleep fast. “You up?”

For an instant, Billy seriously considers not answering. Freddy’s tired. He’ll probably fall asleep in a few minutes.

In the end, he relents, deciding that a conversation of any sort is better than this silence that’s threatening to drown him.

“Yeah. Why?”

“‘Cause you’re tossing around up there. Makin’ it hard to sleep. Stop it.”   
“Oh.” It’s… not really what he expected. “Sorry.”

There’s a soft snort from down below. “Whatever you’re thinkin’ about- probably isn’t true.” There’s a longish pause, in which Billy thinks Freddy might have dropped off to sleep again. But then he says, “Stop bein’ an idiot, Batson.”

A small smile tugs at his lips and he rolls over onto his side.

“You’re the idiot, Freeman.”

“Sure.” Freddy audibly yawns. “Keep telling yourself that. Captain Idiot.”

…

 

Rosa wakes with a start, her heart still pounding wildly. The taste of fear is dry in her mouth. 

_ A bad dream. That’s all it was. A bad dream. _

She can’t shake the image of Billy,  _ her  _ Billy, threatened with a knife. All to get her to comply with those men and their… their sick designs. 

Whatever they were.

Rosa is sure she knows, but chooses not think to think about it.

Victor stirs and Rosa wonders if she elbowed him while in the middle of her nightmare. 

She’s never tossed or turned in her sleep really, but then… she’s never had to see her son held at knifepoint before either.

It’s the kind of experience that changes people.

“Rosa, honey?” Victor sounds exhausted. “You okay?”

Rosa combs one shaky hand through her hair. “Yes, I… I’m fine,” she tells him. “Just a dream. I’m just going to get a drink of water.”

“M’kay.” Victor is already falling asleep again.

Slowly, Rosa climbs out of bed and makes her way to the bathroom. 

She takes a drink, before splashing some of the water on her face.

Just a dream.

That’s all it was.

Billy is safe in bed. 

She steadies herself, both hands clutching the porcelain sink bowl, and she takes a deep breath.

“Just a dream,” she repeats to herself out loud. 

She leaves the bathroom, but stops before she’s even halfway to her and Victor’s room and switches direction.

Rosa hesitates just a moment with her hand on the knob of the boys’ bedroom door.

Then, she turns it and lets it slowly swing open.

Soft light from the hall bleeds in through the open doorway, providing just enough visibility.

Freddy is sleeping on his back, one arm thrown back over his head. He’s kicked the covers off of himself. 

Smiling fondly, Rosa crosses the room. She pulls the covers back over him, tucking him in.

Freddy shifts, murmuring something in his sleep. He curls up tighter under the covers and rolls to face the wall.

Rosa straightens. 

Billy is sleeping on his side, face squished against the pillow. His hand hangs slightly over the edge.

It eases something in Rosa’s chest to see him so peaceful.

She can’t see the scratch left by the knife- and that’s something of a relief. Even though it wasn’t serious, even though it’s already scabbed over, she doesn’t want to be faced with that reminder in the middle of the night. 

She reaches out, brushing some of the hair that’s plastered itself to his forehead away before she can help herself.

Billy’s eyes flutter in his sleep.

Rosa stops, pulling back, but Billy only sighs and falls deeper into sleep.

She steps back, taking a moment to regard both sleeping boys. Then she turns to leave.

Stopping halfway through the doorway, she looks back once.

“Sleep well, boys,” she whispers.

And she pulls the door shut behind her. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just went to see Shazam! for the third time this afternoon. I can't even. This movie just gets better and better.  
> It's definitely looking like there's going to have to be a chapter three to this!

Light is filtering through the shades when Billy stirs. The window is slightly ajar (Freddy insists on keeping it so because the Vasquez's don’t take down air conditioning until the start of June.) and the songs of birds provide a soundtrack for the waking world. 

There’s never any shortage of them around. Darla insists on keeping several bird feeders around the house filled. 

It’s like nothing any of his other foster families have done before, but it’s not like Billy minds. 

It’s actually kind of… nice. 

Billy blinks his eyes open slowly. For a second, all he does is lay there quietly, staring up at the ceiling. 

Then he stretches, arching his back and sitting up.

He swings his legs over the side of the bed, dropping down to the floor.

Freddy is still asleep, mouth hanging slightly open, so Billy dresses quietly and slips out of the room without waking him. 

The smell of… something is wafting up the stairs. Billy thinks it might be pancakes. Or waffles.

Whatever it is, it makes his mouth water.

Rosa is in the kitchen when he makes his way downstairs, pouring batter into a waffle iron. Victor is beside her. Billy can’t see what he’s making, but the smell makes him think scrambled eggs.

Already, a tower of golden brown waffles is stacked high on a plate. Tiny wisps of steam are curling still curling through the air.

Rosa is humming to herself softly and it warms Billy’s heart to hear her sound so… happy. 

Yet, at the same time, he feels wrong for being here. Like he’s intruding on a very private moment between them.

Victor suddenly turns with a laugh. With his hand on Rosa’s shoulder, he twirls her around to face him and they meet in a kiss.

They break away after only a second or two, but stay close, murmuring soft words to the other.

Billy starts to back away.

It isn’t right.

He shouldn’t have intruded on their little moment of privacy. 

He’s only made it back two steps, however, when Victor’s eyes slide over and land on him.

Billy freezes.

“I’m sorry,” he says quickly. “I was just…  I didn’t think… I didn’t mean to spy on you guys. I’ll just…”

Rosa pulls away from Victor, looking at him with something like confusion. “Billy…?”

“I’ll just… go back up. You can…” Both Victor and Rosa are staring at him now. Neither one of them looks angry. Or embarrassed. Just… confused. And a little concerned. 

“Um…” He swallows, uncertain, considering his options. He could just turn and run right back up the stairs.

Coming back downstairs afterwards would be… humiliating, but he thinks it beats the alternative of standing here awkwardly like this. 

Before he can make his movie though, Victor says, “No, it’s alright, Billy. Actually, we were hoping to talk to you this morning.”

And, with a sinking in his heart, Billy thinks,  _ This is it, _ and then isn’t immediately clear on  _ why  _ he thought that. 

But he guesses when he’s heard the words, “We need to talk,” followed by, “We’re sorry,” or, “This isn’t working out,” too many times over the past few years, it’s kind of hard to get past the initial first assumptions. 

(And, okay, to be fair, Billy’s done more than his fair share of running away in the search for his mom, but there were the other times, times when he was younger mostly, when people suddenly decided they didn’t want the trouble of an extra kid.)

Billy’s mouth is feeling dry, but he still manages to unstick a whispered, “Okay,” from the roof of his mouth. 

“Why don’t you wait for us on the couch, Billy?”  Rosa asks. She gives him a smile that only partially slows the million mile an hour pounding of his heart. “We’re almost finished here. It should only be a few minutes and then we’ll come out and join you. I think Eugene left some of his books out there. He wouldn’t mind if you helped yourself to a few while you waited.”

“Uh… okay, yeah.” Billy glances at the couch. “Yeah, I’ll wait.”

He isn’t sure how to take this. It doesn’t  _ sound  _ like the precursor to a, “Hey, it was nice while it lasted, but a superhero in the house isn’t what we signed up for” talk.

Billy sits on the couch, snatching one of Eugene’s aforementioned books from the coffee table. He flips through the pages rapidly, unable to focus on more than word at a time. He just… he needs something to occupy the time, something to keep his thoughts from focusing on the one thing he  _ shouldn’t _ be thinking about but can’t seem to keep himself from. 

He thinks back to what Freddy said that night in Darla’s room. About a hero’s loved ones being the perfect bad guy target.

Sivana already proved that that’s the case. 

He had found them before. 

Is it really hard to believe that someone else might as well?

And now… and now two random thugs know who he is. There are going to be a lot of people who’d want that information. 

What if someone comes after them again? 

Maybe Freddy was right and Rosa and Victor won’t want to kick him out. But Billy doesn’t think he can stay here knowing that he’d only be putting them in danger.

But it’s just… he’s finally started to open up, to feel like they’re  _ family. _ And to think that it might all come crashing down when he’s come so far… well, it hurts far more than just a little. 

“Billy?” 

Billy can’t help the little jump.  He hasn’t been paying attention and she’s managed to completely sneak up on him. 

Victor is right behind her.

“Yeah?” Billy answers. He gives up before the smile he’s attempting even makes it to halfway.

“Hey.” Rosa sits on the couch, laying one hand on his knee. 

Victor sits beside her, one arm reaching around his wife’s shoulders. “You’re not in trouble, kiddo. We just want to make sure you’re okay…” he says...

...at the same time that Billy blurts, “I think I need to leave!”   
It’s almost funny, how audible the silence is after that.

But it’s not. It’s not funny at all. 

“I mean… it’s been great.” Beyond great. It’s been the best thing that’s ever happened to him. “More than great. But...” He shifts uncomfortably, ignoring the stunned looks both Victor and Rosa are giving him. “I can’t… What if I… What if a supervillain comes after you because of who I am? I can’t put you all in danger just by being here.”

“A supervillain?” Rosa shares a glance with Victor. “Like the man at the… at the carnival. Why would he come h…”

“It happened before!” Billy almost shouts. He doesn’t look at either one of them. He doesn’t want to see their expressions. “It happened before,” he whispers again. 

Rosa whispers something in Spanish, a hand pressed against her lips. 

Victor tenses. 

Billy can see it from the corner of his eye and he cringes. He remembers how angry Victor was when he ran away the first time. He expects Victor to be angry now. And with good reason.

Freddy, Mary, Darla, Eugene, Pedro… he could have gotten them all killed.

The difference is now… now he cares.

He understands that he’s… he’s  _ beyond  _ disappointed both of them and it… it causes something to curl uncomfortably and painfully in his gut.

“What are you talking about?” Victor asks quietly, surprising him. “What do you mean before?”

“I mean… he came here. When I… when I ran away. To look for my mom. And then… Freddy called me. Because… because  _ he  _ was here and I had to come back.”

“How did he even…?” Rosa breathes, horrified. “How did he know?”

“I…” The last time Billy had seen Freddy had been in the middle of his fight with  Sivana. And then… then he had run and… and sometime after that, Sivana had found him. How? It was something Freddy wouldn’t talk about and something Billy wasn’t sure how to bring it up. He wasn’t sure bringing it up was the right thing to do either. “I don’t know.” His throat feels dry, his palms sweaty. “Maybe he saw us. We were… arguing. And then…  _ he  _ attacked me and I… I ran.” It’s the hardest thing he’s ever had to say. “I didn’t… I… Freddy called me when I was at my mom’s apartment,” he finishes lamely. 

“Oh, honey.” 

Rosa’s hand smooths back his hair. It’s meant to be a comforting gesture, yet somehow it only serves to make Billy feel even worse. Hadn’t he just told them both how he endangered their children? They should be agreeing with his decision to leave.

She exchanges a look with Victor.

He knows what their thinking. That this explains everything. Darla’s recent nightmares. The moments Freddy has when he gets distant because he’s… remembering something. 

Sensing his advantage, he presses on. “Someone else is going to find out I’m the hero. Someone else already did. What if next time they succeed?”

“I…” Rosa pulls her gaze away from Victor. She seems at a loss for words. 

“I think we have a lot more to discuss,” Victor says, carefully. “But I think… I think the one thing we can agree on is that we’re going to be dealing with this as a family.”

“Together,  _ hijo, _ ” Rosa agrees. Her hand drifts to Billy’s elbow, but Billy yanks himself away, startling her, and jumps up from the couch.

“No!” he almost shouts, aware that his voice is rising steadily in volume and that he’s working himself up, but he can’t stop. 

He wraps his arms around himself and stumbles back a step.

“Didn’t you hear me?” He’s tearing up and it’s humiliating but he can’t seem to help it. “I’m dangerous.”

“No.” Rosa is immediately by his side, crushing him against her chest, and this time he doesn’t pull away from her touch. 

He has little choice, anyways, when Victor joins in, wrapping his own strong arms around the both of them.

“No, you’re not,” she repeats fiercely, threading her fingers gently through Billy’s hair. “You’re a fourteen year old boy who was given a burden that no one in their right mind would expect a child your age to carry. None of this is your fault.”

“Although, in the future,” Victor adds, some strain in his voice, “any secrets that… may impact the safety of this family… we ask that you at least bring it to us.”

“Victor!” Rosa exclaims in hushed tones, but Billy is already nodding, nodding even though he doesn’t know why. 

He’s still dangerous. What Victor and Rosa are saying doesn’t change that. 

“Okay,” he answers. He’s clinging to Rosa, he realizes. Clinging to her like his life depends on it. 

Maybe it does.

But then Darla is launching herself across the room, screeching, “Group hug!”

She crashes into them with all the force of a small torpedo. “Why didn’t anyone wake me up for this?”

Victor laughs, scooping her up into one giant bear hug. “Good morning to you too, Doodlebug!”

Rosa beams, brushing hair from Darla’s face, but she gives Billy a look that suggests their conversation is far from over. 

It doesn’t matter.

In Billy’s mind it is. 

He still thinks he needs to leave. He just wishes it didn’t have to hurt so much.

Darla wiggles free, while Eugene stumbles into the room.

His hair is messy, his glasses are askew and he’s rubbing at his eyes. “Ugh,” he grumbles, “it’s too early for you to be this  _ loud.” _ He stops, glancing around the room. “Hey.” He perks up. “Do I smell waffles?”

“Ah!” Victor holds up a finger, stopping him in his tracks. “Not until Freddy and Pedro are up.”

“I’ll go get them!” Darla sings.

“So…” Eugene plants himself down on the couch, “what are you guys doing up so early?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I want to start off by saying that, though I haven't had a chance to respond to everyone who's left a review, I appreciate each and every one of you. I just don't always have the time to write out a response, but I read every single one I get.
> 
> Secondly, there have been several comments about the possibility of Rosa and Victor learning about the other five's powers. That's definitely something I have plans for. If it can fit into chapter three, it will. If not, it will be in another story. I have at least two more planned for this series.  
> I'm also open to suggestions. If there's something you'd like to see, be it an event or a conversation, feel free to let me know and I'll see what I can do. I may or may not use it, but it will at least consider it. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eeeee, this took longer than I hoped. Sorry about that!!

“Billy, I swear, you better not be thinking of doing something stupid.”

Billy freezes. He’s down on one knee, tying his shoelaces. 

He swallows hard. 

“What makes you think,” he starts, attempting nonchalance, “I’m thinking of something stupid?”

“Because,” Freddy shuts the door behind him and limps a couple steps forward. There’s steel in his gaze. “Because you just talked with Rosa and Victor and I  _ know  _ you know they aren’t going to kick you out. You barely said a word during breakfast- which, okay, is normal. But Victor and Rosa have been looking at each other like  _ something’s  _ going on and, all things considered, something definitely is- that something, really, being you and… you know…  _ him. _ But then you’re here. Scheming. The  _ obvious  _ conclusion is that you’re planning something stupid.”

“I’m not scheming!” Billy finds it hard to keep the indignance from his tone- maybe because Freddy is so  _ right.  _

But he doesn’t have to think about that. And he definitely doesn’t have to tell Freddy about that.

“You’re the one who schemes, not me.” 

“Right,” Freddy says, “because you’re just up here  _ innocently tying your shoes. _ ”

“Yes!” Billy almost-shouts, shooting to his feet. 

Freddy looks startled and Billy drops his tone, feeling somewhat guilty.

“Yes,” he repeats, locking his teeth all the same.

“Uh huh.” Freddy looks decidedly unimpressed. “And I’m-  _ I’m  _ Superman. That’s about how convinced I am right now, Billy. So you better… you better come up with a better explanation than that.”

He’s positioned himself in front of the door, Billy notices. He won’t be able to get out of the room without knocking Freddy over.

Freddy is taking a gamble that Billy won’t be willing to do that.

He’s right.

That ticks Billy off more than anything else.

“Look, why does it matter to you anyways?” Billy grinds out. “You don’t… you don’t need to come check up on me every time you think I’m acting weird.”

Although… a part of him thinks… it feels  _ nice _ actually. To have people care enough about him to check on him when they’re worried. 

To care enough to actually  _ be  _ worried. 

It’s… it’s strange too.

There have been people before. Ones who cared and maybe- maybe they would have turned out okay if Billy had given them a chance. 

(But his mom was out there somewhere and Billy didn’t have  _ time  _ to give anyone else a chance.)

But there had been the ones who hadn’t cared

Pressure builds in his chest, crushing against his ribcage, enclosing his heart in a vice.

“Gee, I don’t know. Maybe because you’re my brother?”

“I don’t need you worrying about me. I’m  _ fine _ .”

“You know this conversation would go a lot better if you’d stop acting like I’m stupid.”

“You’re not stupid, Freddy,” is on the tip of his tongue, but Billy swallows. “I wasn’t aware that this was a conversation we were having. Because it feels a lot like you’re talking at me.”   
“Yeah? Well, maybe that’s because you won’t talk!”

“Newsflash, Freddy. Maybe there’s nothing  _ to  _ talk about.”

“Leaving counts as something,”  Freddy says.

Billy doesn’t speak.

“Billy,” Freddy whispers. His voice cracks and it dawns on Billy that Freddy is… scared. Actually, scared. Of what he might do. That he might leave them. A bitter taste fills his mouth. “Please.”

“I’m not….” Billy starts, but something stops him. If anything, what Freddy deserves from him now is the truth.

He swallows and his throat feels dry. Parched. Like the words will stick to his tongue if he tries to get them out.

But he says, “I don’t want to put you in danger anymore, Freddy.”

Freddy is looking at him, eyes wide with disbelief.

Billy drops his head in shame. 

“Billy!” Freddy looks at him like he’s completely lost his mind, voice pitched high with disbelief. “You saved Rosa’s life. You… you saved all of us. How could you think…? I’m sorry, Billy, but that’s dumb. Even for you.”

“No!” Billy’s cheeks burn and he feels the need to defend his reasoning. Because Freddy should see. Out of all of them, Freddy should see. Should understand. “Sivana went after all of you when he wanted me.”

He may have saved them, but he was the one who endangered them in the first place. 

Freddy and the Vasquezes wouldn’t have even been on Sivana’s radar if he had simply been the hero he was supposed to be in the first place. 

Freddy’s lips press into a thin line and Billy almost hates himself for being the one to remind him of what they all went through that day, but he doesn’t.

He needs Freddy to remember. Because Billy has to keep something like that from ever happening again.

“That’s not…” Freddy begins.

“It  _ is!” _ Billy cuts him off. “They saw me transform, Freddy! They know who I am. They know… they know that Rosa’s my…” He trails off. “Captain Sparklefingers can’t be associated with you guys anymore.”

“Uh… newsflash, Billy, but Captain Sparklefingers isn’t associated with us…”

Billy raises an eyebrow. “You mean aside from the fact that you bragged to the whole school that you were best friends with me before I showed up to lunch and basically confirmed it?”

Freddy cringes. “Point taken,” he says. “ _ But, _ ” he holds up a finger before Billy can press his victory, “I call bull. On several points. Point number one,” he starts ticking off of his fingers, “they know… what? That some kid is Philly’s new hero and he has a mom? What are they going to do about it? They’re in jail. They don’t even know your name, Billy. And who would believe them anyways? Number two… what exactly are you planning to do to make leaving us work? Announce to the world that, ‘hey, I’m the Red Cyclone and I’m leaving this family so just… stay away?’ Because I can guarantee that if you did something like that, any supervillain within a million miles looking for you would come straight to us. So you wouldn’t really be helping all that much in the long run.”

Billy swallows past the lump in his throat and wonders how he could have missed something that obvious. Although the obvious answer is that he wasn’t looking past his own conclusions.

“And… did you suddenly just  _ forget  _ that the rest of us have our own powers now!?”

“I…” Billy doesn’t know what to say. He hadn’t forgotten, but… It’s just...“You can still get hurt,” he finally says. 

He knows it better than any of them. Sivana had almost drowned him that night at the carnival. 

They can still die.

It’s kind of a scary reality to accept.

“You can too, Billy. This isn’t just about you trying to keep us safe. We’re a family now. We don’t work that way. We look out for each other.”

“Victor and Rosa…”

They don’t have powers. And it’s not like… The staff is broken, so Billy can’t exactly go and give them some.

Freddy flashes a toothy grin. 

“They’ve got six superheroes to look after them.”

Billy isn’t entirely sure he manages to look convinced.

Freddy’s grin slips from his face.

“Billy,” he says, “this isn’t just your thing to worry about, okay? I mean it. We’re handling this together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the lack of Rosa in this chapter. I promise, I'm not done writing about her and Billy.

**Author's Note:**

> There will almost certainly be one more chapter. Unless plot bunnies persist. Then there will be more.


End file.
